arca is the shoe mount name im guessing. it say the manphoto has it but i need to see if it will work with mine or what adapters do i need to get to it?
The best thing is to buy a ball head with an Arca-compatible clamp installed. Don't buy that Vanguard! If you already own a quality head it can usually be converted, but every model is different. Some you simply remove the old platform/disk (held in my a single screw), lay the new clamp on the ball stem and tighten down a hex screw. Others require an adapter to mate properly with the stem boss (Manfrotto tend to need an adapter). Some can't be converted as the old platform isn't removable, albeit you could crudely screw an Arca clamp on the old non-Arca clamp or platform. I'd only do that in an emergency...
Check out Arca-compatible heads from Sunwayfoto, RRS and Markins. They cost more but are cheaper in the long run since you won't be upgrading as often.
Predictably, the recommendations you get are overwhelming going to be for the Arca Swiss system. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripod_head#Arca-Swiss_style) This system, designed originally for much larger camera systems. is nearly ubiquitous. So you have lots of vendor options and lots of (but not 100%) compatibility. But I don't think it's the right system for M43. Why?
First, it's big. Bigger than we need for these cameras, which most of us bought because we wanted "small."
Second, it's not really quick-release. Every A-S base I have ever seen requires some action to clamp the camera into the base. Simply putting the plate into the base does nothing; it is usually necessary to tighten a screw or flip a lever. This is fine when you have two hands available, one for the camera and one for the tightening device. If you have a hand on the camera and a hand holding a monopod, though, you are out of luck and risk dropping one or the other.
I prefer the systems where placing the plate into the base releases a lock that snaps into place and holds the camera. The two best that I know of are the somewhat-rare Gitzo system (like http://www.gitzo.com/product/71852....ler_Centre_Ball_Head_Series_2_Quick_Release_D) and the Manfrotto RC2. These, especially the RC2 are much more compact and really are "quick."
And, anyway, do you really need the extensive compatibility of the A-S system? Do you expect to be going into someone's studio and putting your camera on the tripod that is there? I doubt it.
Peak Designs does have a plate for their Capture system which works with the RC2 clamp. Check their website to see which you have.
FWIW, I've completely transitioned from the RC2 - where I started years ago - to an A/S system. The availability of L-plates and bottom plates which are fitted to your camera or lens makes a huge difference, in my opinion. As does the fact that pretty much every accessory maker - including Peak - accommodates it.
Last year I briefly used the Peak system Dual Plate--Arca/RC2--and while it worked great in their belt clip, both the Arca and RC2 implementation left much to be desired. At that time I was still using RC2 and the Peak plate didn't fit well and slipped back and forth in the clamp. The Arca side had poor penetration in the dovetail and all the special cuts and angles for their clip made the edges sharp and tending to snag in the clamp.
As for Arca being for large cameras, that's not true. Arca plates come in all sizes from tiny 25mm plates to giganormous ones. I briefly used a 25mm Sunwayfoto Arca on my Pens but it was too small and switched to a larger Arca with contoured anti-twist flange.
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And Arca clamps comes in small sizes too. Here's a 25mm Kirk clamp I installed on my Manfrotto table top tripod:
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Top view of the Kirk Arca 25mm clamp with penny and huge 70mm Camadapter Arca plate for scale.
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Here's the Peak Dual Plate (RC2/Arca). Pretty red rubber but man it would twist in the clamp way too easily. I think thinner neoprene would grab better than their slippery red plastic stuff:
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I have a number of Manfrotto RC2 plates and clamps in my draw, you're welcome to those pieces of crap. If you ever want to do critical work where the camera/lens is firmly locked into place, with no movement whatsoever, then the Manfrotto ones are not what you need. Manfrotto make great tripods, not so great clamps. And as for speed, I've never heard of anyone who is working with a tripod being in need of lightning speed.
I started off years ago with Manfrotto clamps as they were the only ones generally available and didn't require donating a kidney to buy like the Arca Swiss of the day. Now you can get Arca Swiss compatible clamps and plates so cheaply and of very high quality, that I can't see any reason why you'd use Manfrotto. And to fully explain my reasons, here is why I think the Manfrotto clamps are crap.
The Manfrotto clamp and camera plate (note that none of it is machined, just rough cast):
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Note that the camera plate only attaches in one direction on the clamp:
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When attached, you can just drop the plate onto the clamp which self-locks (note the locking surface area and that the lever is a wear point the way it locks the plate. Note also the pin under the clamp lever):
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The pin under the lever must be positioned as in this photo so that the lever is actually locked, else if it's caught on anything, it can release the plate. The second shot shows where I had to grind off some of the clamp, because the plate wouldn't properly attach to a ball head I had):
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Here is an Arca Swiss compatible clamp. Everything is fully machined and anodised, the camera plate fits perfectly into the dovetail of the clamp and locks using the full length of both dovetails, a one handed operation. The Arca Swiss clamp and plate system also provides a huge range of options for just about anything that you want to do:
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The size difference between an Arca Swiss clamp and plate compared to the Manfrotto clamp and plate is negligible:
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